Curtain fixture



J. H. BOYE.

CURTAIN FIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, I92].

2 E WW? M N 1 P J. H. BOYE.

CURTAIN FIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, 192]. ggj Patented Aug. 1, 1922,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STAT S rATEur OFFICE.

JAMES H. BOYE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CURTAIN FIXTURE.

Application filed March 28, 1921.

nois, have invented certain new and useful' Improvements in (-urtain Fixtures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to curtain fixtures, and in respect of one feature thereof has reference more particularly to curtain fixtures of that type which are adapted to serve double windows, and consequently employ comparatively long curtain rods requiring one or more intermediate supports between the end supporting brackets of the rod.

One object of the present invention is to facilitate the work of mountingand dismounting such long curtain rods, Whether single or double, this object being attained by a novel construction of the supporting devices by the use of which the long rod or rods can be mounted and dismounted as a unit. Another object of the invention is to provide a new, simple and inexpensive intermediate supporting bracket, which will securely hold the rod or rods at the center and also permit the rod or rods to be readily mounted thereon and removed the-refrom. A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved coupling and locking means for yieldably connecting the end of-the rod to the socket of the end bracket; the main object aimed at in this latter feature being to provide a coupling and locking means that will enable a telescoping rod to be drawn out without disconnecting it from the bracket, will enable the rod to be easily entered in the bracket, and will enable the rod to be removed from the bracket under a greater pull than is required to merely extend the rod by drawing out one of the telescoping sections.-

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, whereinI have illustrated one practical and approved embodiment of the invention, and in which-- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the complete fixture, herein shown as of the double rod type adapted to support a curtain and. over drapes;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, i922.

Serial No. 456,384.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation; Fig. 3 is a cross-section, lme 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective elevation of the intermediate supporting bracket;

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section enlarged, on the enlarged through one end of-a rod and its cooperating end bracket showing my improved coupling and locking device, looking from the rear side of the rod;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the coupling member and associated locking spring as viewed from the bottom of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 5, with the rod in elevation and viewed from the front;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-section on the line 88 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged top plan view of one of the end supporting brackets and the adusging ends of the rods mounted therein; an

Fig. 10 is a cross-section inverted on the line 10-10 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, I have therein shown a pair of long front and rear curtain rods each comprising a central section 11. end sections 12 and intermediate sections 13 in telescoping engagement with the sections 11 and 12. At their outer ends these rods are supported in the receiving sockets of a pair of double curved end brackets each designated as an entirety by 14 and more particularly hereinafter described. The central sections 11 of the rods are upheld by an intermediate bracket designated as an entirety in Figs. 1 and 2 by 15, and described in detail hereinafter. As above stated, one purpose or object of this invention is a provide a construction of intermediate supporting bracket of such a nature that a long rod requiring intermediate support may be mounted and dismounted as a unit, thus doing away with the necessity of a pair of independent rods on each side of the 1 wardly bent vertical portion 19, terminating at its lower end in an upwardly curved 20 whichforms a seat for the lower edge 11 y of the rod section 11. From the strip 16 is v, mem

cut a longitudinally extendin tongue 21 which overhan s the ,lip and at its free and is forme with a downwardly bent detent 22 adapted to snap over the upper edge of the rod section 11 to therebwold downwardly bent rod /'engaging portion 19' at its front end terminating in a'lip 20',

' anda spring tongue. 21 terminating in a detent 22'. The two members are internested in themanner shown in Figs. 3 and land mav be united by a rivet 23.

- Referring nextito the means for support: ing and yieldably locking in place the ends of the rods, this is best shown in Figs. 5 to 10 inclusive. By reference to Figs. 5 and 8 it will be noted that the receiving socket on the free end of each limb of the'bracket 14 is formed with outwardly'flaring end walls 24, in which-are formed recesses herein shown as holes 25. In the outer end of each end section 12 -of the rod -is mounted a coupling member consisting of a substantially flat strip 26 of soft metal. Describing thiscoupling member in detail, on the front side thereof i s'an oflset tongue 27 which, as best shown in Fig. 7, fits over the endedge of the outer wall of the rod and is mashed down on the same, as shown in Fig.8 thereby securely clamping the coupling member to the rod. At its inner end the coupling member has a pair of upwardly struck anch'or lugs 28, over which the rear. wall of the rod is mashed down, as clearly shown in Fig. 10 thereby further anchoring the coupling member in the rod. The forward end portion of the coupling member projects beyond the end of the rod, as clearly shown in Figs.

- 5 and 7 and has'formed thereon a laterally ofi'set shield or guard 29. for a purpose hereinafter explained. From the top of the coupl1ng} member are cut and struck up two pairs'ofbppositely facing tongues 30 and 31 lying side by side, and between the meeting ends of these tongues is inserted. the transverse limb. 32 of a generally U-shaped wire spring. The arms 33 of this springare bent outwardly some distance. in rear of their free ends to form rounded protuberances or locking lugs 34 which, as the end of the curtainrod is inserted in the socket, slidingly enga e with the flaring walls. 24 and are there y compressed until they come into register with the recesses 25 into which they instantly snap. The free ends 35 of the arms lie beneath the shield 29 and are guarded and confined by the latter.

By reason of the described construction of t e cou ling and locking device the end of the rod is very easily entered into the socket by a slight push, but the locking spring holds it in the socket with suflicient grip to enable a telescoping rod to be then drawn out to the required length. By a slightly stronger pull, however, the rod is readily withdrawn from the socket. The couplin member not onlyaffords a guard and shleld for the ends of the spring by reason of the member 29, but it also protects this sprin from injury in the event that the rod is ropped endwise on the floor, since the outer end of the stiff coupling member takes the blow, and the spring is protected thereby. It is believed that the structural features, mode of manipulation, and advantages of the present invention will be readily understood by persons skilled in the art from the foregoing description and the accompanying illustration. The described intermediate bracket is, of course, chiefly useful in con nection with-long curtain rodsdesig'ned to serve two or more adjacent windows, while .the described'means for yieldably mounting the ends of the rods in the end brackets are equally useful in connection 'with both long and short rods. Manifestly, the specific structural details may be modified and varied within the scope of the invention and without 'sacrificin any of the advantages which they embo y. ence, I reserve such .variations and modifications as fall within the spirit and claims,

I claim: c '1. In a curtain fixture the combination pur view of the appended with end brackets formed with inwardlyfacing rod-receiving sockets, and anintermediatebracket formed with asprin clasp, of an extensible curtainrod; said r0 be' engageable .'with the sockets of said on brackets under an endwise movement and with the spring clasp of said intermediate bra'cket'under a lateral movement. I

In a curtain fixture, the combination with end brackets formed with inwardly facing rod-receiving sockets, and an intermediate bracket formed with a spring clasp, of a hollow flat curtain rod composed of a plurality of telescoping sections; said rod being engageable with the sockets of said .end brackets under an endwise movement and with the spring clasp of said intermediate bracket under a lateral movement.

3. In a curtain fixture, the combination with an end bracket'having a flat rod-engaging socket formed with outwardly flaring edge walls and locking recesses in said flaring walls, of a flat curtain rod, a coupling strip secured to an end of saldrod, and

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a locking member carried by said coupling strip, said locking member including a pair of spring arms formed with protuberances that slidably engage with the flaring edge walls of said socket and snap into said recesses.

4. In a curtain fixture, the combination with an end bracket having a flat rodengaging socket formed with outwardly flaring edge walls and locking recesses in said flaring walls, of a flat hollow curtain rod, a coupling strip mounted in an end of said rod, and a locking member carried by said coupling strip, said locking member comprising a generally U-shaped wire spring the transverse limb of which is anchored to said coupling member, and the arms of which are outwardly bent near their free ends to form protuberances that slidably engage with the flaring edge walls of said socket and snap into said recesses.

5. In a curtain fixture, the combination with an end bracket having a flat rod engaging socket formed with outwardly flaring edge walls and locking recesses in said flaring walls, of a flat hollow curtain rod, a coupling strip secured in an end of said rod and having a projecting end formed with a laterally offset shield and a locking member carried by said coupling strip, said locking member comprising a generally U-shaped wire spring the transverse limb of which is anchored to said coupling member and the arms of which are outwardly bent in rear of their free ends to form protuberances that slida-bly engage with the flaring edge walls of said socket and snap into said recesses; the free ends of said arms being covered and confined by the said laterally offset shield of said coupling member.

6. In a curtain fixture, the combination with a hollow flat curtain rod, of a coupling strip for a locking member mounted in one end of said rod, said coupling strip. having a laterally ofi'set tongue clampingly engaged with the end portion of a side wall of said rod, and a transversely elastic wire spring anchored to said coupling member and adapted to interlockingly engage with a socket of a rod-supporting bracket.

7. In a curtain fixture, the combination with a hollow flat curtain rod, of a coupling strip for a locking member mounted in one end of said rod, said coupling strip having a laterally oifset tongue clampingly engaged with the end portion of one side wall of said rod and an anchor lug on its inner end engaged with a depressed portion of the other side wall, and a transversely elastic wire spring anchored to said coupling member and adapted to interlockingly engage with a socket of a rod-supporting bracket.

8. In a curtain fixture, the combination with a hollow fiat curtain rod, of a coupling strip for a locking member secured in one end of said rod, said coupling strip having a pair of oppositely facing tongues cut and struck upwardly therefrom, and a transversely elastic wire spring of substantially U-shape having its transverse limb clamped between the opposed free ends of said tongues, the arms of said spring being adapted to interlockingly engage with a socket of a rod-supportin bracket.

J S H. BOYE. 

